This Snap-On Sensor Could Tell Farmers Exactly How Much To Water Their Crops
The system, for which the Penn State Research Foundation has applied for an international patent, features a clip-on unit that contains sensors to detect the thickness and electrical capacitance, or the ability to store a charge, of individual leaves. The array of sensors is connected to a WiFi node, which transmits the data to a central unit that tracks the measurements over time and uses them as indicators of water stress. Eventually, a smartphone app could run the whole system.